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24
Jul
Drunk driver admits being ‘extremely over the limit’ near Ripon
A woman admitted to being more than four times the legal drink-drive limit near Ripon today (July 24).
Amy Grant, who gave the court an address in Markington, pleaded guilty to one offence of drink-driving during a hearing at Harrogate Magistrates Court.
Prosecutor Sarah Tyrer told the court a police community support officer (PCSO) was travelling towards Ripon shortly after 11pm on July 4.
About five miles from Ripon, the PSCO was driving behind a Vauxhall Mokka and became “concerned about its manner of driving”.
The PSCO said the driver – Grant – had a “complete lack of awareness of the road”, as she veered into the opposite lane and towards hedges.
The court heard Grant "narrowly missed" colliding with drivers travelling in the opposite direction due to her erratic driving.
As the PSCO did not have the authority to stop Grant, he decided to follow her and blocked her car in when she stopped at McDonald’s on Harrogate Road.
Ms Tyrer said the PSCO called for assistance whilst driving and waited with Grant until a police constable arrived.
The PSCO took Grant's car keys from her and gave them to a named police constable, who approached the 42-year-old defendant.
Grant, who was still sitting in the driver’s seat, did not engage with the officer initially but eventually handed over her driving licence for identification.
Ms Tyrer told the court:
When the officer was speaking to the defendant, she was slurring her words and smelled strongly of alcohol.
When the officer asked Grant to provide a roadside breath sample, she said:
It's going to be horrendous.
Grant was arrested after providing a high reading at the roadside. She then recorded 147 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath at the police station – more than four times the legal limit of just 35 micrograms.
“She was extremely over the limit”, Ms Tyrer said.
Grant was also convicted of drink-driving in 2016, making this the second offence of its kind in a decade.
Due to the high reading, Andrew Coleman, defending, suggested the case be adjourned for a pre-sentence report.
Mr Coleman said he would save any mitigation until Grant returns to court.
The magistrates adjourned the case until September 4 for the report to be prepared.
Grant was banned from driving in the interim.
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